A. Field of the Invention
A heat exchanger for an air conditioner refrigeration system using a water heat exchanger with refrigerant condenser coils.
B. Discussion of Related Technology
This invention relates to a heat exchanger adapted for use in a compressor-condenser-evaporator refrigeration system adapted for use in an air conditioning system and more particularly to the compressor-condenser unit of the system. Typical household and commercial air conditioning units utilize a condensable refrigerant that is compressed, condensed, cooled and then supplied to an expansion device and evaporator for cooling air that is circulated through the evaporator in a heat exchange relationship. The compressor and condenser unit typically are located outside the dwelling to be cooled and waste heat from the condenser is exhausted to atmosphere.
The condensers of such refrigeration systems typically are cooled by ambient air or water heat exchanger arrangements. When cooled by water, condenser tubing containing hot refrigerant supplied from the compressor is circulated in heat exchange relationship with water that is circulated over the condenser tubing. The waste heat from the condenser is transferred to the water which is then discharged or recirculated.
It is known in the prior art that to cool the water supplied to condenser coils in such systems adiabatically by circulating the water through an evaporative fill medium and then circulating the water in heat exchange relationship with the condenser tubing. Ambient air is circulated through the evaporative fill medium while the water trickles through the medium to thereby cool the water to a temperature approaching wet-bulb temperature before the water is supplied to the condenser tubing. The water is then recirculated to the evaporative fill medium to effect cooling of the water in the manner just described. Make-up water is supplied to maintain an appropriate level of water in the system. Water heat exchangers are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,182,131 granted Jan. 8, 1980, and 4,603,559 granted Aug. 5, 1986.
While the water cooled condenser provides efficiencies over the more typical ambient air cooled condenser, inefficiencies still remain with prior art systems, particularly with regard to the heat transfer between the condenser tubing and the water and also with respect to uniform flow of water through the evaporative fill medium during operation of the system. It has been recognized by the applicant that improvement of the heat transfer between the condenser tubing and a water medium can be improved if the water is directed to flow over the condenser tubing in a manner that promotes efficient heat transfer while it is still confined in a relatively compact zone to minimize the overall size of the condenser heat exchanger. Other improvements in water type condenser heat exchangers also have been found to be desirable.